20 Myths About Mesothelioma Specialists: Dispelled
Mesothelioma Specialists
A specialist who is regularly caring for mesothelioma patients is aware of what to look for on blood tests, imaging tests and other diagnostic tools. Mesothelioma doctors may also offer advanced treatments that can improve the prognosis.
When selecting a mesothelioma physician be sure to consider the experience, affiliation with a hospital and availability. Patients should feel comfortable and supported at each visit.
Raja Flores
Dr. Raja Flores is a mesothelioma specialist with a reputation for excellence, known for his patient care and surgical skills. He is the chief of thoracic surgical at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City.
Flores gained his expertise in lung cancer and mesothelioma treatments during his residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he worked with the renowned mesothelioma surgeon Dr. David Sugarbaker. He is an expert in treating lung cancer, pleural tumors and esophageal carcinoma.
He helped pioneer the lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication surgery that has been successfully used as a curative procedure in scores of mesothelioma cases. He also played a key role in the development of the video-assisted surgery for thoracic (VATS) lung lobectomy that is now considered to be the best treatment for lung cancer. This minimally invasive procedure entails making three small incisions to remove cancerous sections of the lung.
In his mesothelioma-related career, Flores has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He has received many professional honors including being named as a New York Top Doctor and America Top Doctor. He has also been a part of various clinical studies, including an investigation that looked into the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is diagnosed through a physical exam as well as blood tests and imaging. In a majority of cases, patients do not notice symptoms until the disease has progressed to a late stage. They may experience throat, chest or abdomen pain and fatigue, as well as coughing and breathing problems. A doctor can drain the excess fluid to check for cancer cells and determine if a patient is suffering from mesothelioma that is mixed or epitheliod.
Asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma. Anyone who is exposed to asbestos in the construction, maintenance, or repair of power stations, ships, or factories are at greater chance of developing mesothelioma.
A multidisciplinary team can offer patients the best mesothelioma treatment. In addition to an experienced surgeon, patients should seek out medical oncologists and radiation specialists who specialize in mesothelioma treatments. These specialists can formulate a plan for treating the cancer using radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Patients suffering from mesothelioma should ask their doctors about the number of mesothelioma cancer cases that they have had to deal with.
Robert Cameron
A well-known mesothelioma specialist Robert Cameron graduated medical school at UCLA around 30 years ago. Before he began his mesothelioma-specific training in the year 2000, he had completed surgical residency at the National Cancer Institute and Cornell University Medical Center. The patients of his mesothelioma suffer from his expertise in lung-sparing surgeries and minimally invasive procedures like thorascopic surgeries. Cameron is also a mesothelioma researcher and has published more than 35 papers concerning oncology and thoracic surgery.
He is co-founder of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and is the scientific advisor for the Pacific Mesothelioma Center. He is also chief of thoracic surgical at the University of California Los Angeles and the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center's mesothelioma clinic.
Dr. Cameron is a leader in mesothelioma therapy and has helped thousands of asbestos patients. He is focused on improving the quality and access of mesothelioma treatment to patients. He also represents patients and their families throughout their treatment process.
Cameron is a mesothelioma specialist with experience in treating both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma. Cameron is experienced in a variety of surgical mesothelioma treatment options, such as cytoreductive surgeries, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapeutic treatments and pleurectomy/decortication. He is also skilled in pericardial mesothelioma treatment that involves the removal of tumors from the lining of the heart and the surrounding tissues.
It is essential to choose a mesothelioma doctor who has privileges in an institution for cancer that you can trust. A top specialist will have the staff, equipment and clinical trials to make sure you receive the treatment you require. Additionally, it is important to bring any relevant work history records and imaging scans with you to your appointment. You may also want to bring an individual from your family or a close friend along with you for support and to help you remember important information during your appointment.
Radiation and immunotherapy are options for patients who are not interested or unable to undergo surgery. Many mesothelioma experts are experienced in coordinating these other treatment options that include surgery. The mesothelioma specialists at your cancer center can help you in making these decisions after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Raphael Bueno
Bueno is a specialist in the treatment of thoracic tumors including mesothelioma. He is working to improve the way that mesothelioma and other lung cancers, are treated and diagnosed. Bueno's research is helping doctors to understand mesothelioma on an atomic level. This knowledge can make it easier to diagnose mesothelioma as well as lead to novel treatments.
As the Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Vice-Chairman of Surgery for Cancer Research at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Raphael Bueno is committed to maintaining the institution's world-leading position in mesothelioma treatments and research. Bueno is director of the hospital’s International Mesothelioma Program. He has a broad range of expertise in relation to mesothelioma treatment, diagnosis and prevention.
While the leadership of patient care, patient management and teaching have been key parts of his career research has been the main focus of his time at BWH. He has developed tests to assist surgeons in identifying mesothelioma-related tumors in a surgical biopsy, and he is working on techniques to make the procedure less and less invasive. He is also studying gender differences in mesothelioma, and the way that tumors grow.
Bueno started working at BWH as a surgical student after he graduated from Harvard Medical School. He worked with mesothelioma pioneer Dr. David Sugarbaker, and he learned much about mesothelioma through his mentor. After his internship he completed an cardiothoracic surgical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He returned to BWH and set up a private surgery practice and an experimental laboratory for mesothelioma.
Among his most significant accomplishments is the creation of iVats. It's an instrument that allows surgeons to pinpoint mesothelioma cancers and remove them during an extrapleural pneumonectomy. This procedure is a significant improvement over the traditional method, which is often inaccurate and requires more tissue to be removed than is needed. The new method has led to improved outcomes for patients with mesothelioma.
Bueno is a participant in a variety of clinical trials to find innovative methods for mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment. He is a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute member and has appointments at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital and Carney Hospital. He is also a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Paul Sugarbaker
Paul Sugarbaker is a nationally recognized mesothelioma specialist, known for his work on mesothelioma of the peritoneal region and abdominal cancers. He set the bar for treatment for this type of mesothelioma, and his innovative approach to this rare cancer has helped increase the odds of survival. He developed, refined and popularized a technique that combined chemotherapy with cancer surgery to treat peritoneal msothelioma. The Sugarbaker procedure is the name given to this unique method. He continues to travel around the world to train young surgeons on this groundbreaking procedure.
A mesothelioma specialist has many years of experience treating asbestos-related diseases. They are also conversant with the most current mesothelioma treatment options and clinical trials. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma need to be prepared by bringing medical records along with a list of questions and a willingness to talk to their first appointment with an expert.
There are many kinds of mesothelioma surgeons and each will have their own area of expertise. This includes thoracic surgeons, general surgeons, pulmonologists, pathologists and radiation oncologists. Each of these experts is a key player in the treatment of patients.
A thoracic surgeon is able to treat tumors and other issues in the chest cavity, including pleural mesothelioma. They may perform lung surgery to reduce tumors and improve breathing abilities. They may also prescribe medications to help with symptoms or to increase the life expectancy.
A thoracic surgeon can assist patients with the most difficult treatment options. Fayetteville mesothelioma attorneys can also assist patients locate mesothelioma support groups and other sources.
Paul Sugarbaker earned his undergraduate degree at Wheaton College, located in Illinois. He completed his residency in surgery in Boston at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, an affiliated program of Harvard University. He then relocated to Atlanta, Georgia where he worked at Emory University for two years before returning to Washington, D.C.
Paul Sugarbaker is an internationally renowned cancer specialist and surgeon. He was recognized as one of America's Top Doctors and has been a member of multiple professional associations. He is most famous for his ferocious pursuit of an effective treatment for mesothelioma in the peritoneal which led to the HIPEC procedure (heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy), which has been proven to prolong the life of patients suffering from this rare cancer.